Manchester United are still deciding whether to keep Zidane Iqbal or send him out on loan before the January transfer window.
Iqbal is currently in a dilemma.
While he has been training with the first team, he has yet to appear this season. Erik ten Hag has yet to give the academy graduate his chance.
By virtue of having been training mainly with the older players, Iqbal has not been able to play more often in the Under-21s.
An example of his situation occurred when his participation in the youth team’s game against Fleetwood Town was postponed.
The 19-year-old played in EFL Trophy games against League Two teams Carlisle and Barrow, but was unavailable against Fleetwood as Ten Hag needed him as cover for Christian Eriksen, who was ill against Tottenham.
Eriksen recovered, making Iqbal an unused product as he did not make the bench.
United’s reluctance to give up Iqbal stems from the fact that within the club it is felt that the midfield lacks a youthful presence.
The Manchester Evening News reports: “There is some concern that Iqbal has only played in five of 16 Under-21 games and may not feature in the EFL Trophy round of 16 tie against Bolton Wanderers at the end of this month due to first team commitments. .”
“United staff believe it is to Iqbal’s advantage to train with the first team for the remainder of the season and then potentially embark on a season-long loan in the summer.”
It would be hard to argue against United’s assessment that a loan move will work in Iqbal’s best interest.
Despite being the rising star of the pre-season, their opportunities seem extremely limited, with Ten Hag fielding the strongest teams even in cup competitions and the Europa League.
